David Bloomer
David Bloomer is a Dragoon of the Alpha Clan. The second son of Chieftain Douglas Bloomer, David assumes power at a relatively young age following his father's murder. He would rule the Alpha Clan for decades before ultimately handing the Clan over to his own son Jeremy just prior to the Invasion of Roommenor. His rule is most often marked with the consolidation of Alpha power and the destruction of lingering rival Clans. Early Life Once he was deemed of age, Douglas Bloomer assumed the mantle of Chieftain, following his mother's rule for the previous six years. To appease many who were still reeling from the attempted coup Douglas married Chandra Hellion in the hopes that the two prestigious families would be able to put their personal conflicts to bed. All seemed well and five years into the marriage David Bloomer was born. David was quickly deemed a gifted child and often found himself the center of attention, despite the jealousy this would arouse in his siblings. Many of his early mentors noted that David seemed to possess the ability to inspire others around him though at his age this was often simply to encourage other child to make mischief in his name. Upon entering the academy David performed admirably and quickly found himself near the top of the class. His high marks were only accentuated by his knack to lead other cadets. When he graduates it is with an glowing endorsement from his professors to be accelerated to sergeant. As his superiors discuss this nearly unprecedented occurrence he is placed in Blitzen Squad for the interim. Less than a month into his tenure in Blizten Squad the Alpha Clan is rocked by the tragic assassination of David's father, lingering hatred from the failed coup nearly two decades prior finally resurfacing. Anarchy seems inevitable as Alpha Clan leadership braces for a possible civil war within their own ranks. Invigorated by the death of his father, David assembles Dragoons he knows are loyal to his family and uses them to seize control of Founder's Mesa. The move is done less for power and more to prevent the guilty from being able to usurp control. The Clan holds its breath, waiting for chaos to erupt. Fortunately civil war does not break out and David soon is proclaimed Chieftain. He is barely eighteen years old. Chieftain Inheriting a mess of familial animosity and political backstabbing, David immediately sets about trying to make peace between all parties, striving to usher the Clan into a stronger future. Despite resistance from detractors and his own siblings, David manages to assuage decade old feuds, a feat that wins him allies on all sides. This reputation as both a politician and peacemaker draws the attention of the Zeta Clan who reach out to David in an attempt to build a healthier relationship between the two Clans. Still sore from the humiliation inflicted by the Zeta Clan during the Dragoon Civil War, David rejects the proposal and publicly declares Zeta weaker than the Alpha Clan. This act renews tension between the two Clans which eventually erupts into the Hanning Campaign. Hanning Campaign Using the expansion of the Zeta Clan's fishing fleet as an excuse David Bloomer orders an offensive into Zeta territory, hoping to catch their border defenses by surprise and seizing the city of Hanning as a bargaining chip. The Alpha operation is initially successful and they push to the gates of Hanning within a matter of days. However they are unprepared for the city's level of resilience, a protracted siege developing as the Alpha Clan force lacks the firepower to breech Hanning's walls. Angered by this, David commits reinforcements to the siege, these new troops equipped with artillery and demolition devices. He orders that if the city can not be taken that it should be razed to the ground. Sending forth the esteemed Lion Battalion, the Zeta Clan is able to break the Alpha siege and even secures a good number of prisoners, a feat which shames both the captured Dragoons but also David Bloomer for failing to prevent it. Pressured by their families, David begrudgingly agrees to acquiesce more territory to Zeta in exchange for a release of the captives. While many Dragoons of noble lineage appreciate his actions this sentiment is not widely shared, with some even whispering that David is weak. Operation Diomedes Struggling with accusations of weakness, David sees a prime opportunity to revitalize his image with reports of the Beta Clan crumbling under the weight of its own infighting. Committed to the Alpha belief that Beta are little more than witches and heretics, David proclaims that they must be purged to protect the very nature of Dragoons. This leads to the Alpha Clan leadership drawing up what comes to be known as Operation Diomedes, a campaign of shock and awe to smash Beta into extinction. While there are a few detractors, mostly among the religious minority, majority of the Clan jumps at the cause. The operation is launched without incident and Alpha Clan battalions swarm into lingering Beta cities and temples. Though the Beta Clan defenders fight fanatically they simply can do little beside delay their inevitable demise. Orders are quickly dispatched to all Alpha field commanders that no trace of the Beta religion should be left: shrines, mausoleums, and clergy put to the torch. Mass executions and other atrocities are rampant as the Alpha Clan Dragoons see their deeds as part of a holy cause to liberate their species from a tainted limb. Within a week any organized semblance of the Beta Clan is destroyed and David Bloomer declares Operation Diomedes a complete success. Summer Revolt Stabilizing Beta Clan territory takes longer than anticipated, much of the newly acquired land needing to be restructured and the civilian populace reeducated. To facilitate this and alleviate the use of Dragoons for such ventures David turns to several corporations, offering them lucrative deals in exchange for their assistance. Many jump at the chance; the hope that they might be able to profit without Alpha Clan scrutiny too great to pass up. These companies quickly strip the region, causing widespread poverty and famine. The Alpha Clan cares little for these issues as the corporations responsible continue to trickle resources to them. It isn't until a small group of locals rise up to defy the companies that the Dragoons step back in. Eager for the continued revenue from the corporations, David Bloomer dispatches two entire battalions to the area to swiftly squelch the apparent uprising. Though successful, it still appears the civilians in the region will be continually resistant to outside influence, centuries of Beta Clan rule still ingrained in their psyche. Wishing to avoid further rebellion and with the knowledge that the destined invasion of Roommenor likely will occur in his lifetime, David Bloomer takes the advice of his advisers and looks further north for resources, to the remote province of Shah. Shah Campaign Nestled in the Northern Reach, Shah is a simplistic and quaint area. For years it'd been plagued by mutant attacks which had promoted majority of corporations to avoid establishing facilities there. That and of course the population's unflagging religious mindset. But it was also an area rich in raw minerals, resources the Alpha Clan would desperately need if they were to have enough equipment to prosecute their invasion of Roommenor. Seeing Shah as an easy win David Bloomer deploys a single battalion to the province and they quickly seize the area with little conflict. The true nature of the conflict would not begin until about a month in the Alpha Clan occupation. Seeing the Dragoons as little more than barbarians many local clergy began to preach against them, instilling a loathing of them in the citizenry. Wishing to ensure compliance the commanding Alpha warlord began publicly executing these priests, hoping the population would fall in line as a result. The plan backfires and more and more citizens flock to the growing rebellion. It isn't long before the Dragoon garrison finds themselves besieged. Frantic to contain the situation, David Bloomer dispatches two additional battalions to the province with firm instructions they are to break the will of the rebels and bring the area under control. What follows is a brutal counter-insurgency seeing Dragoons often burning villages and murdering civilians as means of reprisal. Each retaliation simply strengthens the rebellion and soon additional battalions are dispatched. Corporate consultants are also brought on-board to ensure raw materials are processed and sent south. It is an ugly campaign, quickly becoming unpopular within the Alpha Clan. Once again David Bloomer finds himself searching for a victory. Operation Achilles A solution quickly presents itself when Alpha Clan intelligence reports that the Zeta Clan is laying plans for their own invasion of Roommenor. Fearing Zeta might beat them to the honor of the invasion and knowing if their own invasion is to be successful they'll need any many of Zeta's sea-craft as possible David and his advisers begin drawing up the plans for an offense against Zeta, code named Operation Achilles. Working with Zeta defectors the operation calls for ferocious simultaneous strikes against the very heart of the rival Clan. Speed is essential if Alpha is to prevent the Zeta fleet from either fleeing or being able to scuttle itself. Spurred by decades of shame and defeats by Zeta hands the Alpha operation is executed without mercy. David Bloomer makes it clear that like Beta before, there should be no trace left of those that defy the true nature of what it means to be a Dragoon. Universities, museums, and palaces all become prime targets as Alpha Clan forces slaughter their way through Zeta territory. While Zeta had anticipated future aggression from the Alpha Clan they were not prepared for such a massive assault, many of their commanders unsure of how to stem such a tide. Though large numbers of Zeta Dragoons and their human allies are able to flee, the operation closes as a monumental victory for the Alpha Clan. David's popularity skyrockets and even though fighting continues to bog down in Shah for the next few decades it is eclipsed by the glory of Operation Achilles. Criticizing the Chieftain even privately comes to be seen as a social taboo. Road to the Invasion With both Beta and Zeta crushed beneath the heel of his forces, David Bloomer sets his sights on ensuring his Clan is ready to commit to their destiny of invading Roommenor. Slowly he begins increasing the corporate presence in Shah in an effort to pull more Dragoons out of the province to be used to squelch the growing insurgent organization known as White Horse. Despite his best efforts it becomes nearly impossible to stamp out this group as more humans flock to its cause. This threat is coupled by the rise of student violence in academies as well as reports that an alarming number of Dragoons are succumbing to substance abuse. Urged by Malkeris, David comes to dismiss these social issues and focus the Clan's resources on the coming invasion. A vigorous campaign against White Horse sees the remainder of the organization go into hiding though the Dragoons eagerly declare victory over them. Satisfied, David orders the next targets to be corporations who either were trying to pull their support of the Clan or who had previously promised materials for the invasion. This squeezing prompts many of these companies to begin secretly sponsoring White Horse. Abdication As the invasion draws nearer to reality, David comes to reconsider his place as Chieftain especially due to his age. In his 60s he is already one of the longest reigning Chieftains in Alpha Clan history. His advisers caution him against upsetting the status quo, majority of the Clan revering his leadership. Despite this, David sees the invasion as a new chapter for the Alpha Clan and feels it should be handled by the next generation of Dragoons. In the face of protest he publicly announces his intentions to step down and hand power to his son, Jeremy. The announcement fuels doubts about the invasion itself along with reviving decades old feuds. As hostilities spill over, David's eldest son becomes the victim of an assassination and prompted by their commander, the revered 2nd Battalion mutinies. Everyone's loyalty comes into question and every member of David's family quickly finds a target on their back. Unsure of who to trust and fearing for the safety of his children, David entreats Malkeris for aid. Just as eager to see the invasion to succeed as David, Malkeris dispatches members of the Omega Clan to assume protective duties around the Bloomer Family. Personal Life Despite the overarching violence and potential genocide committed under his leadership David Bloomer was seen as a jovial and kindhearted individual, especially when it came to his family. Urged by relatives to keep the Bloomer line strong, he marries his cousin Annapurna Bloomer when he is in his early twenties and the pair have their first child, Vincent a few years later. However due to complications during this pregnancy the couple would not have another child for over a decade. As his popularity grew so too did his image as the "ideal" father and many credit him with furthering the notions of Dragoon family life. Category:Characters Category:Dragoon Category:Alpha Clan